FAQs

Application of Flavours

Are your flavours heat-stable?

Most of our flavours used in dairy, bakery, confectionery, and beverages are heat stable. However, level of stability depends on the flavour type, heat load and processing techniques.

What is the standard flavour dosage in dairy, beverage, bakery and confectionery?

All our flavours are of high strength. Standard dosages vary from product to product. Normally, dosage for dairy (flavoured milk) is 0.04-0.08%, that for confectionery is 0.3%, that for bakery is 0.2-0.25%, and that for beverages is 0.02-0.08%.

Will you render technical assistance or send your technical persons for trials?

Yes, we provide technical help to our customers when necessary.

Can process variation cause any change in the flavour profile?

Yes, it can, because processing could involve heating, cooling, pH change and other interactions.

What are the precautions to be taken for using food flavours?

Food flavours should be handled properly and one should avoid direct consumption and exposure of the same.

Food Safety

What are the food safety norms followed for producing flavours?

Our production facility is certified under FSSC 22000, ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 14001:2015. We follow stringent quality controls to ensure consistency is maintained batch after batch.

Why does flavour manufacturing need an FSSAI license?

According to the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, Section 31, ‘No person shall commence or carry on any food business except under license’. Thus, this has made the FSSAI license mandatory for all restaurants, and trades and manufacturers of the food industry. Since flavours are used in food, it calls for an FSSAI license.

What kind of safety assessment is carried out for flavouring substances?

The substances used to make flavourings are assessed by the EFSA (European Food Safety Authority), JECFA (Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives) and FEMA (The Flavour and Extract Manufacturers Association of the United States). To assess safety, EFSA scientists analyse the intake levels, metabolism, toxicity and absorption of individual constituents.

What are the criteria to select materials safe for use in flavours?

Substances in flavours must meet one or more of the following requirements:

1. Flavourings accepted by the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA), as acceptable flavouring materials that ‘pose no safety concerns at current levels of intake’.

2. Materials that have been evaluated and found to present ‘no safety concern under conditions of intended use’, using the same or similar methodology as used by JECFA, by authoritative bodies such as the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) or the Japanese Food Safety Commission (FSC).

3. Materials that are approved to be Generally Recognized As Safe (GRAS) or deemed to be food additives by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) including GRAS determinations issued by the independent Expert Panel of the Flavour and Extract Manufacturers Association of the United States (FEMA).

4. Substances including solvents that are prohibited by FSSAI in flavouring are not used.

What is FEMA? Why are FEMA GRAS approved materials used for flavour manufacturing?

FEMA (FEMA full form: The Flavour and Extract Manufacturers Association of the United States) carries out an extensive evaluation of flavouring substances. Members of the FEMA expert panel are scientific and medical experts from prominent universities from around the world. More than 100 countries accept the FEMA GRAS determination, making it the most trusted authority for flavour ingredient safety in the world. The FEMA GRAS program meets the highest standards for transparency. The GRAS determinations made by the FEMA Expert Panel are sent to the FDA along with the scientific information supporting the determinations.

How are flavours regulated in India?

Flavouring agents that consist of flavour extracts, flavour preparations or flavour substances and are capable of contributing odour or taste or both, to food. There are three types of flavouring agents:

• Natural flavouring substances and natural flavours

• Artificial Flavouring Substances

• Nature-Identical Flavouring Substances

Flavouring Agents

What is natural flavour? What does natural flavour mean?

Natural flavours are obtained by a mixture of natural flavouring substances which are flavour preparations or single substances obtained exclusively by physical processes.

Does natural flavour contain any natural component like juice, pulp or extract ?

Yes, it can. However, it depends on the formula structure. Natural extracts, essential oils, oleoresins and aroma chemicals of natural origin act as ingredients in natural flavour and decide what is flavourful.

What is the difference between nature-identical flavour and natural flavour?

What is artificial flavour?

Artificial flavouring substances are those which are not found in nature but can be made synthetically. When one or more of these substances are present in the formulations, it becomes artificial flavour. However, some artificial flavours may also contain ingredients which are natural or nature identical as part of their formulations. All artifical flavouring substances are evaluated by JECFA, EFSA and FEMA before being qualified to be used as ingredients.

What is the difference between artificial and natural flavour?

Artificial flavours in food may or may not contain nature-identical and/or natural flavouring substances, but should contain one or more artificial substances.

Do you offer dry mix powders?

Yes, we offer a wide range of dry mix powders.

What kind of technology do you use for flavour release or increasing flavour stability?

We use encapsulation and granulation technologies for powder flavours. This allows controlled release and increase flavour stability.

Do you conduct research to identify new flavouring chemicals?

Yes, we continuously upgrade to identify new aroma chemicals.

Are flavours harmful for human consumption?

No, our flavours are not harmful because all the ingredients are of FEMA (GRAS) grade.

What is the difference between liquid flavours and emulsions?

Liquid flavours are a homogenous mixture of liquid substances, which may be water soluble or oil soluble. Emulsions can be oil in water or water in oil phase substances stabilised by emulsifying or stabilising agents along with colours and preservatives.

What is the shelf life of your flavours?

The shelf life of most of our liquid flavours is two years in proper storage conditions.